30 Days of Night: Review By Brian

Oct 24th, 2007 by Brian
Finally a Vampire Movie That Scares.
  • OVERALL
    4.0
    GREAT
  • Story
  • Acting
  • Directing
  • Visuals
I gotta hand it to Gil Brooks' review on this site, he nailed it. Like him, I was very happy to finally see a vampire movie that acts like a monster movie again. Not since the Reapers in Blade 2 have we seen a "vampiric" creature that is ravenous for blood, and finally, in 30 Days of Night we get back to basics.

The plot shines. Ripping pages from the graphic novel, and expanding the ambiance, which borrows from one of horror's finest, The Thing, this film does everything it's supposed to, and everything you'd want.

The vampires are awesome. I'm not sure what language they're speaking, but I gotta tell you, it's nice and creepy. Especially coming out of the mouth of such a fine actor like Danny Huston.

The FX are just as wonderful. All the scenes you see have a well-blended mix of actual prosthetics and some digital enhancements. Blood splatters boh "for real" and digitally and it's wonderful...unlike say, like the comic-bookiness of the blood splatters of 300. Just as well, the make-up FX are just as great. To me it looks like they've digitally enhanced the brow and eye area of the vampires, giving them a more animal-like presence than we've seen in vampire films in the past. Some really disturbing stuff, and combined with their high pitched, wolflike squeals, makes for some great scares.

The only gripe I have about the actual acting in the film was at the very top of the flick. Hartnett has a coversation wih his partner about some daily routines or something, and as the dialog commenced I found his acting to a little over the top for what the scene and his character should have called for...something a bit more light-hearted.

The gore is great! I can't wait for the unrated DVD release of this one. So many scenes, you could tell, were held back upon, especially when it came to specific kills, but removing the 'R' rating from this flick can only make it better.

For a horror movie in October to come out like this, any fan of the Halloween season has to be extremly happy with this flick. Forget snoozefests like the very tired SAW franchise. See this fresh little guy. You won't regret it.

Do you like this review?

Comments (16)

  1. Silk

    Good review. Disagree about the acting (core characters that is), which aside from all the vamps, was bloody sh*thouse. Love the treatments in the film. It looked great.

    3 years agoby @silkFlag

  2. Shelley

    Great review, one of my favorite movies.

    3 years agoby @shelleyFlag

  3. Raoul Duke

    I had to go back and see it cause my ex was too chicken sh*t to sit through it. I guess that means its good. lol

    4 years agoby @raoulduke33Flag

  4. Vamp

    Great Review, but I gotta say, I have always liked the humanized way Vampires are shown, especially in the Anne Rice books and Movies (Interview with the Vampire, Queen of the Damned) To me it makes immortality seem almost bearable, but this was an EXCELLENT review, and it was also a great vampire movie.

    4 years agoby @vampire2000Flag

  5. Brian

    Nice.

    4 years agoby @brianFlag

  6. LeoNiDas' Lover

    best vamp movie ever!

    4 years agoby @thejokerrulesFlag

  7. mordfilm

    Thanks for the review, I am renting it tonight, and I think it will be a great film. Now I am more sure... One point though, doesn't Josh Harnett always overact at some point in the film? I will bet it is usually the first scene shot!!!

    4 years agoby @mordfilmFlag

  8. kyle_hannah

    I love good vampire movies and this one brought vampires away from action and back into horror while being faithful to the comic. I loved this film greast review!!!!!!

    4 years agoby @kyle-hannahFlag

  9. LeoNiDas' Lover

    good review this movie kicked major ass totaly

    4 years agoby @thejokerrulesFlag

  10. EmoZombie

    I agree and when the film came out in england all people could talk about was 30 days of night but i don't agree with the whole saw thing have you not seen saw 4 yet i mean jesus christ!

    4 years agoby @emozombieFlag

  11. Timbo Jones

    Loved this movie. Great review

    4 years agoby @timmy1134Flag

  12. Brian

    Ha. Make that my Blu-ray collection!

    4 years agoby @brianFlag

  13. Brian

    Yeah, great flick. Can't wait for this one to be in my DVD collection.

    4 years agoby @brianFlag

  14. Love & Napalm

    Filmed in New Zealand also where I come from so its gotta be good!

    4 years agoby @zomb13Flag

  15. joeygirl

    Right On Creep...I can't wait to see this one!!!

    5 years agoby @joeygirl45Flag

  16. shadowsaint

    i plan on seeing this pic next week at some poit so i will get back to you!

    5 years agoby @shadowsaintFlag